Slovakia

BRATISLAVA, April 17. /TASS/. Donbass and Crimea will remain part of Russia forever, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico told members of the European Affairs Committee of the country’s National Council (parliament).

BRATISLAVA, November 8. /TASS/: The newly formed Slovak government has blocked its predecessors’ initiative to allocate 40.3 million euros in military assistance to Ukraine, the pravda.sk. news portal reported.

The initiative to transfer weapons and ammunition to Ukraine was submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers by the former leadership of the Slovak Defense Ministry.

BRATISLAVA, October 26. /TASS/: Newly installed Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said that he will not vote for any new EU sanctions against Russia if they harm Slovakia, the pravda.sk portal reported.

"Fico stressed that he will not vote [for the EU to introduce] any sanctions against the Russian Federation until there is a [documented] analysis of their impact on Slovakia on the table," the portal noted.

"If sanctions bring us [Slovakia] harm, then I don’t see any reason to support them," Fico said, before departing for the EU summit in Brussels.

BRATISLAVA, October 25. /TASS/: Slovakia’s President Zuzana Caputova has formally appointed a new government headed by Robert Fico, leader of the Direction - Social Democracy (Smer) party, as prime minister.

The gala ceremony held at the presidential palace in Bratislava was broadcast by the TA3 channel.

"The republic’s president, Zuzana Chaputova, has appointed a new Slovak government headed by Prime Minister Robert Fico," the head of the presidential administration’s protocol department said.

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — A populist former prime minister of Slovakia who plans to end the country’s military support for Ukraine signed on Monday a coalition agreement with the leaders of two other parties to form a new government.

Robert Fico and his leftist Smer, or Direction, won the Sept 30 parliamentary election with 22.9% of the vote, taking 42 seats in the 150-seat legislature. He needed to find coalition partners to govern with a majority.

BRATISLAVA, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Slovaks were voting on Saturday in a parliamentary election closely fought between former leftist Prime Minister Robert Fico, who wants to end military aid for neighbouring Ukraine, and pro-Western liberals.

Final opinion polls showed the two parties neck and neck, with the winner expected to get the first chance to try to form a government to replace the caretaker administration running the country of 5.5 million since May.

BANOVCE NAD BEBRAVOU, Slovakia, Sept 21 (Reuters) - "We are a peaceful country. We will not send a single round to Ukraine."

That was Robert Fico's blunt message for some 300 supporters at a political rally last week in the western Slovakian town of Banovce nad Bebravou, ahead of a Sept. 30 election that the populist former prime minister is favourite to win.

MICHALOVCE, Slovakia (AP) — A populist former prime minister whose party is favored to win Slovakia’s early parliamentary election plans to reverse the country’s military and political support for neighboring Ukraine, in a direct challenge to the European Union and NATO, if he returns to power.

Robert Fico, who led Slovakia from 2006 to 2010 and again from 2012 to 2018, is the frontrunner to occupy the prime minister’s office after the Sept. 30 election. He and his left-wing Direction, or Smer, party have campaigned on a clear pro-Russian and anti-American message.

BRATISLAVA, June 12. /TASS/: Arms warehouses across Europe have been emptied and it will take from 5 to 10 years to replenish them, former Slovak Prime Minister and leader of the Voice-Social Democracy Party Peter Pellegrini said.

"[Arms] depots have been drained across entire Europe, all armies will replenish <…> supplies. This is 5-10 years’ worth of work," the pravda.sk portal quoted him as saying. The politician thinks that Slovakia will not be able to provide substantial military aid to Ukraine anymore due to the lack of resources.

BRATISLAVA, May 7. /TASS/: Ludovit Odor will be appointed as Slovakia’s new prime minister, Slovak President Zuzana Caputova said at an emergency briefing on Sunday.

"Deputy Head of the National Bank of Slovakia Ludovit Odor will be designated as a new prime minister," she said.

Earlier on Sunday, interim Prime Minister Eduard Heger announced his intention to resign. According to legislation, his entire cabinet will resign as well.